Tension device for use in processing textile yarns



Aug. 16, 1960 N. J. STODDARD ETAL 2,949,253

TENSION DEVICE FOR USE IN PROCESSING TEXTILE YARNS Filed April 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI.

m w 6 g It INVENT S NICHOLAS J. STODD D WARREN A. SEEM y 1960 N. J. STODDARD ETAL 2,949,253

TENSION DEVICE FOR USE IN PROCESSING TEXTILE YARNS Filed April 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :{L uuu uuu r I-UUUUUUUI INVENTORSI NICHOLAS J. STODDARD WARREN A. SEEM svfrnmzm (f AT'TYS.

United States Patent TENSION DEVICE FOR USE IN PROCESSING TEXTILE YARNS Nicholas J. Stoddard, Philadelphia, and Warren A. Seem, Gwynedd, Pa., assignors to Leesona Corporation, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 25, 1955, Ser. No. 503,526

1 Claim. (Cl. 242-154),

This invention relates to apparatus for processing thermoplastic textile yarns and is a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 401,952, filed January 4, 1954, now Patent No. 2,803,105.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with novel tension devices which are useful in processing polyamide and other thermoplastic yarns such as nylon, Vinyon, Orlon, Velon, Dacron, Saran and the like, by thermal treatment according to the improved continuous methods disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 401,951, filed January 4, 1954, now Patent No. 2,803,109.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of construction and operation thereof are hereinafter fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partially in section of a thermoplastic yarn processing apparatus embodying a novel tensioning device made in accordance with the present invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4, respectively, are front, side and top plan views of a specially constructed tensioning device made according to the present invention; and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7, respectively, are front, side and top plan views of a modified form of tensioning device embodying the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is basically what is known in the textile art as an up-twister. In the present instance the apparatus has been provided with a special overhead creel 9 for the yarn package P which is to be processed. The novel spindle of the present invention is indicated at 2 and has a diametrically enlarged portion arranged for tangential contact by the customary spindle drive belt 8. As shown in Fig. 1, the yarn Y from the package P passes'through a specially constructed tensioning device 11 and thence through a specially designed heating device before it reaches the novel high speed spindle 2 of the present invention. From the package P to the spindle 2 the yarn Y travels in a generally downward direction and after passing through the spindle 2 the direction of travel of the yarn Y is substantially reversed so that the yam travels upwardly and ultimately passes over a traverse guide 3 and is wound upon the take-up spool which is indicated at S. The take-up spool S is driven by a roll 6 fixed on a shaft 7 which is driven from one end of the apparatus.

The device 10 is heated electrically by current conducted to it through two fixed horizontal bus bars 12 and 13 to which the heating device is secured by means of screws 15 and 16. The required degree of heat is uniformly maintained by current at a constant voltage through an induction regulator which is governed automatically by a thermally responsive sensing means in the heating device which operates to control or modulate the temperature therein compensatively with changes in the ambient or room temperature and the rate of transfer of heat to the yarn travelling therethrough, for ex- 2,949,253 Patented Aug. 16, 1960 2 ample, as more particularly copending applications.

With reference now particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, the special tensioning means 11 there shown comprises two comb-like vanes 20 and 21 between the alternating tines of which the yarn Y is passed. Vane 20 is fixedly supported between a pair of vertically-spaced forwardly-projecting lugs 22 of a bracket plate 23, while vane 21 is swingable about a hinge pin 24 between another pair of vertically spaced forwardly projecting lugs 25 of said plate. The swingable vane 21 is connected by a tension spring 26 to a vertical lever 27 fulcrumed at 28 on a rearward projection 29 at the top of the plate 23. The lower or distal end of lever 27 is slotted or 'bifurcated to loosely receive therein the reduced portion adjacent the outer end of a screw 31 threadedly engaged described in the aforesaid in plate 23. By means of screw 31 it is possible to vary' the force of the spring 26 and, in turn, the pressure exerted by the vanes upon the yarn Y to provide micrometric adjustment or regulation of the drag or tension imparted to the yarn. The jam nut at 32 serves as a means for securing the screw 31 against accidental displacement in adjusted position.

The modified form of tensioning or restraining means shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings is generally similar to the tensioning device just described in that it comprises two comb-like vanes 35 and 36 between the alternating tines of which the yarn Y is passed, the vane 35 being fixedly supported between a pair of vertically spaced forwardly projecting lugs 37, of a bracket plate 38, while the vane 36 is swingable about a hinge pin 39 between another pair of vertically spaced forwardly projecting lugs 40 of said plate.

In the present case also the swingable vane 36 is connected by a tension spring 41 to a vertical member 42 which is disposed substantially parallel to and extends substantially throughout the height of the plate 38. In this embodiment of the present invention the opposite ends of the member 42 are slotted or bifurcated as indicated at 43 to loosely receive therein the reduced portion 44 of one of a pair of screws 45 and 46 which are threaded into the plate 38 at the top and bottom thereof, respectively. By selective adjustment of both of the screws 45 and 46 relative to the plate 38, it is possible to very accurately regulate the force of the spring 41 and, in turn, the pressure exerted by the vanes upon the yarn Y to thereby provide a very fine micrometric adjustment of the drag or tensioning imparted to the yarn. Each of the screws 45 and 46 is provided with a lock nut 47 which serves as a means for securing the screws against displacement from a particular adjusted position.

In operation of the apparatus and for the purposes of illustration, let it be assumed that the yarn Y is in the form of continuous multi-filament of nylon or the like. As it passes down through the device 10 it is uniformly heated to a temperature Within twenty degrees of the melting point of the thermoplastic, the temperature being automatically modulated compensatively with changes in ambient or room temperature and rate of transfer of heat to the travelling yarn by action of the sensing means, and the tension means 11 being adjusted for maintenance of the desired tension less than the yield value of the yarn during the heating thereof.

While in a heated state, the yarn is twisted as it traverses the device '10 by the action of the spindle 2 and cooled by ballooning and radiation in the interval between the outlet end of the heating device and the twisting-uutwisting spindle 2. The yarn is thus adequately cooled and thereafter passes through and out of thelower end of the spindle beneath the two fixedly positioned guide wheels 48 and 49, over the guide rod 50 and the reciprocating traverse guide 3, to the driven take-up spool S. As a result of this continuous processing in accordance with our invention, a substantially permanent crimp, wave, or flufi. is set into the yarn, Care must, of course, be exercised to maintain the proper correlation between heat, speed. and tension, for if the yield value of the heated yarn being processed is intermittently or uniformly exceeded by tensile stress, the resultant yarn, after untwisting, will be uneven and lack uniform crimp, Wave or fluff and the degree of the crimp, wave or fluff will be relative to the degree to which the tension is exceeded in yield value. The degree and permanency of the crimp, wave, or fluff is attained by maintaining the treating temperature Well up to the melting point of the thermoplastic, i.e.,not less than forty percent below the melting point.

V By selective adjustment and regulation of the tension devices of the present invention it is possible to correlate the tension in the yarn to the prescribed heating temperature and linear speed of travel of the yarn to maintain the yarn at a uniform tension relative to the contractual force of the yarn resulting from heating and twisting the same. Thus by maintaining a low tension, the yarn will be permitted to shrink in the processing, while by subjecting it to a relatively high tension, at corresponding amount of stretching or elongation will take place during the heating.

While certain embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended that the invention be precisely limited to this disclosure, and it is contemplated that changes and modifications may be made and incorporated therein and thereto within the scope of the following claim.

We claim:

In an integral yarn tensioning device comprising a pair of vanes with spaced tine projections respectively disposed in clearing interlapping relation and between which the yarn is adapted to pass, a bracket to which one of the vanes is fixedly secured and on which the other low vane is pivoted for swinging movement of its tine projections through the intervals between the tine projections of the fixed vane, a lever arm fulcrumed at one end of the bracket, a tension spring connected at one end to the swinging vane and at the other end to the lever aim at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, and a micrornetric regulatable adjusting screw threadedly engaged in the bracket and serving as a stop for the other end of the lever arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7,064 Babbett Feb. 5, 1850 1,021,919 Crawford Apr. 2, 1912 1,064,292 Crawford June 10, 1913 1,399,521 Rodger Dec. 6, 1921 1,602,447 Olson Oct. 12, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,709 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1901 381,106 Great Britain Sept. 29, 1932 422,505 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1935 

